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Andong FA, Ejere VC, Agina OA, Ekere SO, Mayowa ES. Assessment of biometrics and stress indicators of the adult Village Weaver birds ( Ploceus cucullatus) during breeding and post-breeding seasons in Jos, Nigeria. Heliyon 2024; 10:e31196. [PMID: 38784561 PMCID: PMC11112311 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
In this era of climate change, some biological conservationists' concerns are based on seasonal studies that highlight how wild birds' physiological fitness are interconnected with the immediate environment to avoid population decline. We investigated how seasonal biometrics correlated to stress parameters of the adult Village Weavers (Ploceus cucullatus) during breeding and post-breeding seasons of the Weaver birds in Amurum Forest Reserve. Specifically, we explored the following objectives: (i) the seasonal number of birds captured; (ii) whether seasonal baseline corticosterone (CORT), packed cell volume (PCV), and heterophil to lymphocytes ratio (H:L) were sex-dependent; (iii) whether H:L ratio varied with baseline (CORT); (iv) whether phenotypic condition (post-breeding moult) and brood patch varied with baseline (CORT) and H:L ratio; and (v) how body biometrics co-varied birds' seasonal baseline (CORT), (PCV) and (H:L) ratio. Trapping of birds (May-November) coincided with breeding and post-breeding seasons. The birds (n = 53 males, 39 females) were ringed, morphologically assessed (body mass, wing length, moult, brood patch) and blood collected from their brachial vein was used to assess CORT, PCV and H:L ratio. Although our results indicated more male birds trapped during breeding, the multiple analyses of variance (MANOVA) indicated that the seasonal temperature of the trapping sites correlated (P < 0.05) significantly to baseline (CORT). The general linear mixed model analyses (GLMMs) indicated that the baseline (CORT) also correlated significantly to H:L ratio of the male and female birds. However, PCV correlated significantly to body size of the birds (wing length) and not body mass. Haematological parameters such as the baseline CORT and the H:L ratio as indicators of stress in wild birds. Hence, there is the possibility that the Village Weaver birds suffered from seasonally induced stress under the constrained effect of environmental temperature. Hence, future studies should investigate whether the effect observed is also attributable to other passerine species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix A. Andong
- Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
- AP Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
| | - Vincent C. Ejere
- Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
| | - Onyinyechukwu A. Agina
- Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
| | - Samuel O. Ekere
- Department of Veterinary Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
| | - Ezekiel S. Mayowa
- AP Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
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Rakotoson T, Senthilkumar K, Johnson JM, Ibrahim A, Kihara J, Sila A, Saito K. Estimating nutrient concentrations and uptake in rice grain in sub-Saharan Africa using linear mixed-effects regression. FIELD CROPS RESEARCH 2023; 299:108987. [PMID: 37529085 PMCID: PMC10300240 DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2023.108987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Context or problem Quantification of nutrient concentrations in rice grain is essential for evaluating nutrient uptake, use efficiency, and balance to develop fertilizer recommendation guidelines. Accurate estimation of nutrient concentrations without relying on plant laboratory analysis is needed in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where farmers do not generally have access to laboratories. Objective or research question The objectives are to 1) examine if the concentrations of macro- (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S) and micronutrients (Fe, Mn, B, Cu) in rice grain can be estimated using agro-ecological zones (AEZ), production systems, soil properties, and mineral fertilizer application (N, P, and K) rates as predictor variables, and 2) to identify if nutrient uptakes estimated by best-fitted models with above variables provide improved prediction of actual nutrient uptakes (predicted nutrient concentrations x grain yield) compared to average-based uptakes (average nutrient concentrations in SSA x grain yield). Methods Cross-sectional data from 998 farmers' fields across 20 countries across 4 AEZs (arid/semi-arid, humid, sub-humid, and highlands) in SSA and 3 different production systems: irrigated lowland, rainfed lowland, and rainfed upland were used to test hypotheses of nutrient concentration being estimable with a set of predictor variables among above-cited factors using linear mixed-effects regression models. Results All 10 nutrients were reasonably predicted [Nakagawa's R2 ranging from 0.27 (Ca) to 0.79 (B), and modeling efficiency ranging from 0.178 (Ca) to 0.584 (B)]. However, only the estimation of K and B concentrations was satisfactory with a modeling efficiency superior to 0.5. The country variable contributed more to the variation of concentrations of these nutrients than AEZ and production systems in our best predictive models. There were greater positive relationships (up to 0.18 of difference in correlation coefficient R) between actual nutrient uptakes and model estimation-based uptakes than those between actual nutrient uptakes and average-based uptakes. Nevertheless, only the estimation of B uptake had significant improvement among all nutrients investigated. Conclusions Our findings suggest that with the exception of B associated with high model EF and an improved uptake over the average-based uptake, estimates of the macronutrient and micronutrient uptakes in rice grain can be obtained simply by using average concentrations of each nutrient at the regional scale for SSA. Implications Further investigation of other factors such as the timing of fertilizer applications, rice variety, occurrence of drought periods, and atmospheric CO2 concentration is warranted for improved prediction accuracy of nutrient concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tovohery Rakotoson
- Laboratoire des RadioIsotopes (LRI), Université d′Antananarivo, BP 3383, Route d′Andraisoro, 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar
- Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice), P.O.Box 1690 Ampandrianomby, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | | | - Jean-Martial Johnson
- Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice), 01 B.P. 2551, Bouaké 01, Cote d′Ivoire
- University of Bonn, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), D-53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Ali Ibrahim
- Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice), Regional Station for the Sahel, B.P. 96, Saint-Louis, Senegal
| | - Job Kihara
- Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture, c/o ICIPE Duduville Complex, Off Kasarani Road, P.O. Box 823-00621, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Andrew Sila
- World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), P.O. Box 30677, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
| | - Kazuki Saito
- Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice), 01 B.P. 2551, Bouaké 01, Cote d′Ivoire
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Andong FA, Ossai NI, Echude D, Okoye CO, Igwe EE. Motives, other meat sources and socioeconomic status predict number of consumers with preference for two antelope species served in Enugu-Nigeria. Glob Ecol Conserv 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2023.e02387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
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Queiroz ACM, Marques TG, Ribas CR, Cornelissen T, Nogueira A, Schmidt FA, Feitosa R, Sobrinho TG, Quinet Y, Baccaro FB, Ulysséa MA, Vargas AB, Morini MSC, Souza JLP, Paolucci L, Dáttilo W, Del‐Claro K, Lange D, Santos J, Silva RR, Campos RBF, Albuquerque EZ, Izzo T, Rabello AM, Solar RRC, Soares SA, Carvalho KS, Moraes AB, Torezan‐Silingardi HM, Nahas L, dos Santos IA, Costa‐Milanez CB, Esteves F, Frizzo T, Harada AY, DaRocha W, Diehl‐Fleig E. Ant diversity decreases during the dry season: A meta‐analysis of the effects of seasonality on ant richness and abundance. Biotropica 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Antônio C. M. Queiroz
- Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação, Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia Aplicada, Laboratório de Ecologia de Formigas Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal de Lavras ‐ UFLA, Campus Universitário Lavras Brazil
| | - Tatianne G. Marques
- Laboratório de Ecologia Aplicada, Instituto Federal do Norte de Minas Gerais ‐ IFNMG ‐ Campus Salinas Salinas Brazil
| | - Carla R. Ribas
- Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação, Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia Aplicada, Laboratório de Ecologia de Formigas Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal de Lavras ‐ UFLA, Campus Universitário Lavras Brazil
- Lancaster Environment Centre Lancaster University Lancaster UK
| | - Tatiana G. Cornelissen
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, UFMG Belo Horizonte Brazil
| | - Anselmo Nogueira
- Laboratório de Interações Planta‐Animal, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas Universidade Federal do ABC São Bernardo do Campo Brazil
| | - Fernando A. Schmidt
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Formigas, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Natureza Universidade Federal do Acre Rio Branco Brazil
| | - Rodrigo M. Feitosa
- Departamento de Zoologia, Laboratório de Sistemática e Biologia de Formigas Universidade Federal do Paraná Curitiba Brazil
| | - Tathiana G. Sobrinho
- Departamento de Ciências Agrárias e Biológicas, Laboratório de Sistemática e Ecologia de Insetos Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Campus São Mateus São Mateus Brazil
| | - Yves Quinet
- Departamento de Biologia, Laboratório de Entomologia Universidade Estadual do Ceará Fortaleza Brazil
| | | | - Mônica A. Ulysséa
- Laboratório de Sistemática, Evolução e Biologia de Hymenoptera Museu de Zoologia da USP São Paulo Brazil
- Moreau Lab Cornell University Comstock Hall Ithaca NY USA
| | - André B. Vargas
- Centro Universitário de Volta Redonda – UniFOA Volta Redonda Brazil
| | - Maria Santina C. Morini
- Laboratório de Mirmecologia do Alto Tietê, Núcleo de Ciências Ambientais Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes Mogi das Cruzes Brazil
| | | | - Lucas N. Paolucci
- Departamento de Biologia Geral Universidade Federal de Viçosa Viçosa Brazil
| | - Wesley Dáttilo
- Red de Ecoetología Instituto de Ecología AC Xalapa Mexico
| | - Kleber Del‐Claro
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia Uberlândia Brazil
| | - Denise Lange
- Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, Campus Santa Helena Santa Helena Brazil
| | - Jean C. Santos
- Departamento de Ecologia, Laboratório de Ecologia & Biodiversidade Universidade Federal de Sergipe São Cristóvão Brazil
| | - Rogério R. Silva
- Coordenação de Ciências da Terra e Ecologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi Belém Brazil
| | - Renata B. F. Campos
- Laboratório de Ecologia, ambiente e território, PPG Gestão Integrada do Território Universidade Vale do Rio Doce Governador Valadares Brazil
| | - Emília Z. Albuquerque
- School of Life Sciences, Rabeling Lab Arizona State University Tempe Arizona USA
- AntLab, National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution Washington District of Columbia USA
| | - Thiago Izzo
- Departamento de Botânica e Ecologia, Laboratório de Ecologia de Comunidades Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso Cuiabá Brazil
| | - Ananza M. Rabello
- Instituto de Estudos do Xingu, Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará São Félix do Xingu Brazil
| | - Ricardo R. C. Solar
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Centro de Síntese Ecológica e Conservação Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte Brazil
| | - Stela A. Soares
- Secretaria Estadual de Educação de Mato Grosso do Sul Campo Grande Brazil
| | - Karine S. Carvalho
- Departamento de Ciências Naturais Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, Campus Vitória da Conquista Vitória da Conquista Brazil
| | | | - Helena M. Torezan‐Silingardi
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia Uberlândia Brazil
| | - Larissa Nahas
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia Uberlândia Brazil
| | | | - Cinthia B. Costa‐Milanez
- Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto Ouro Preto Brazil
| | - Flávia Esteves
- Department of Entomology Institute for Biodiversity Science & Sustainability, California Academy of Sciences San Francisco USA
| | - Tiago Frizzo
- Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade de Brasília, Campus Darcy Ribeiro Brasília Brazil
| | - Ana Y. Harada
- Coordenação em Zoologia, Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi Belém Brazil
| | - Wesley DaRocha
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Insetos Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte Brazil
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Laboratório de Mirmecologia (CPDC) Centro de Pesquisa do Cacau (CEPEC) Ilhéus Brazil
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Muluvhahothe MM, Joseph GS, Seymour CL, Munyai TC, Foord SH. Repeated surveying over 6 years reveals that fine-scale habitat variables are key to tropical mountain ant assemblage composition and functional diversity. Sci Rep 2021; 11:56. [PMID: 33420160 PMCID: PMC7794360 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80077-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
High-altitude-adapted ectotherms can escape competition from dominant species by tolerating low temperatures at cooler elevations, but climate change is eroding such advantages. Studies evaluating broad-scale impacts of global change for high-altitude organisms often overlook the mitigating role of biotic factors. Yet, at fine spatial-scales, vegetation-associated microclimates provide refuges from climatic extremes. Using one of the largest standardised data sets collected to date, we tested how ant species composition and functional diversity (i.e., the range and value of species traits found within assemblages) respond to large-scale abiotic factors (altitude, aspect), and fine-scale factors (vegetation, soil structure) along an elevational gradient in tropical Africa. Altitude emerged as the principal factor explaining species composition. Analysis of nestedness and turnover components of beta diversity indicated that ant assemblages are specific to each elevation, so species are not filtered out but replaced with new species as elevation increases. Similarity of assemblages over time (assessed using beta decay) did not change significantly at low and mid elevations but declined at the highest elevations. Assemblages also differed between northern and southern mountain aspects, although at highest elevations, composition was restricted to a set of species found on both aspects. Functional diversity was not explained by large scale variables like elevation, but by factors associated with elevation that operate at fine scales (i.e., temperature and habitat structure). Our findings highlight the significance of fine-scale variables in predicting organisms' responses to changing temperature, offering management possibilities that might dilute climate change impacts, and caution when predicting assemblage responses using climate models, alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mulalo M Muluvhahothe
- SARChI-Chair On Biodiversity Value and Change, Department of Zoology and Centre for Invasion Biology, School of Mathematical and Natural Science, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa
| | - Grant S Joseph
- SARChI-Chair On Biodiversity Value and Change, Department of Zoology and Centre for Invasion Biology, School of Mathematical and Natural Science, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa.
- DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa.
| | - Colleen L Seymour
- DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, Kirstenbosch Research Centre, Private Bag X7, Claremont, 7735, South Africa
| | - Thinandavha C Munyai
- School of Life Science, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa
| | - Stefan H Foord
- SARChI-Chair On Biodiversity Value and Change, Department of Zoology and Centre for Invasion Biology, School of Mathematical and Natural Science, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa
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Hlongwane ZT, Mwabvu T, Munyai TC, Tsvuura Z. Epigaeic ant diversity and distribution in the Sandstone Sourveld in KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa. Afr J Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Tarombera Mwabvu
- School of Biology and Environmental Sciences University of Mpumalanga Mbombela South Africa
| | | | - Zivanai Tsvuura
- School of Life Sciences University of KwaZulu‐Natal Pietermaritzburg South Africa
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Dalerum F, Retief TA, Havemann CP, Chimimba CT, Janse van Rensburg B. The influence of distance to perennial surface water on ant communities in Mopane woodlands, northern Botswana. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:154-165. [PMID: 30680103 PMCID: PMC6342134 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Revised: 09/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies of biodiversity along environmental gradients provide information on how ecological communities change in response to biotic and abiotic factors. For instance, distance to water is associated with several factors that shape the structure and the functioning of ecosystems at a range of spatial scales. We investigated the influence of distance to a perennial water source on ant communities in a semi-arid savanna in northern Botswana. Ant abundance, taxonomic richness, and both alpha and beta diversity were generally higher during the wet than the dry season. However, there were strong seasonal influences on the effects of distance to water, with more pronounced effects during the wet season. While both abundance and beta diversity declined with increasing distances to water during the wet season, there was a contrasting increase in alpha diversity. There was no major effect of distance to water on taxonomic richness during either season. Beta diversity was as high across as along gradients, and we found support for modular rather than nested community structures along gradients. Our study demonstrated that small-scale gradients in distance to water can influence several aspects of ant communities in semi-arid savannas. However, our results also point to strong effects of small-scale environmental variation, for instance associated with vegetation characteristics, soil properties, and plant community structure that are not directly linked to water access.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fredrik Dalerum
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, UO‐PA‐CSIC)University of OviedoMieresSpain
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute (MRI)University of PretoriaHatfieldSouth Africa
- Department of ZoologyStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
| | - Tarryn Anne Retief
- Department of Zoology and EntomologyUniversity of PretoriaHatfieldSouth Africa
| | - Carl Peter Havemann
- Department of Zoology and EntomologyUniversity of PretoriaHatfieldSouth Africa
| | - Christian T. Chimimba
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute (MRI)University of PretoriaHatfieldSouth Africa
- Department of Zoology and EntomologyUniversity of PretoriaHatfieldSouth Africa
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, DST‐NRF Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology (CIB)University of PretoriaHatfieldSouth Africa
| | - Berndt Janse van Rensburg
- Department of Zoology and EntomologyUniversity of PretoriaHatfieldSouth Africa
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of QueenslandSt. LuciaQueenslandAustralia
- Department of Zoology, DST‐NRF Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology (CIB)University of JohannesburgAuckland Park, JohannesburgSouth Africa
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Flores O, Seoane J, Hevia V, Azcárate FM. Spatial patterns of species richness and nestedness in ant assemblages along an elevational gradient in a Mediterranean mountain range. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0204787. [PMID: 30566476 PMCID: PMC6300198 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The study of biodiversity spatial patterns along ecological gradients can serve to elucidate factors shaping biological community structure and predict ecosystem responses to global change. Ant assemblages are particularly interesting as study cases, because ant species play a key role in many ecosystem processes and have frequently been identified as useful bioindicators. Methods Here we analyzed the response of ant species richness and assemblage composition across elevational gradients in Mediterranean grasslands and subsequently tested whether these responses were stable spatially and temporally. We sampled ant assemblages in two years (2014, 2015) in two mountain ranges (Guadarrama, Serrota) in Central Spain, along an elevational gradient ranging from 685 to 2390 m a.s.l. Results Jackknife estimates of ant species richness ranged from three to 18.5 species and exhibited a hump-shaped relationship with elevation that peaked at mid-range values (1100–1400 m). This pattern was transferable temporally and spatially. Elevation was related to ant assemblage composition and facilitated separation of higher elevation assemblages (> 1700 m) from the remaining lower elevation species groups. Ant assemblages were nested; therefore species assemblages with a decreased number of species were a subset of the richer assemblages, although species turnover was more important than pure nestedness in all surveys. The degree of nestedness changed non-linearly as a cubic polynomial with elevation. These assembly patterns coincided more clearly over time than between the two study regions. Discussion We suggest double environmental stressors typical of Mediterranean mountains explained species richness patterns: drought at low elevations and cold temperatures at high elevations likely constrained richness at both extremes of elevational gradients. The fact that species turnover showed a dominant role over pure nestedness suggested current ant assemblages were context-dependent and highly vulnerable to global change, which threatens the conservation of present day native ant communities, particularly at high elevations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar Flores
- Department of Biogeography and Global Change, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Spanish National Research Council (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Terrestrial Ecology Group, Department of Ecology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- * E-mail:
| | - Javier Seoane
- Terrestrial Ecology Group, Department of Ecology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Violeta Hevia
- Social-Ecological Systems Laboratory, Department of Ecology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco M. Azcárate
- Terrestrial Ecology Group, Department of Ecology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Foord SH, Swanepoel LH, Evans SW, Schoeman CS, Erasmus BFN, Schoeman MC, Keith M, Smith A, Mauda EV, Maree N, Nembudani N, Dippenaar-Schoeman AS, Munyai TC, Taylor PJ. Animal taxa contrast in their scale-dependent responses to land use change in rural Africa. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0194336. [PMID: 29738559 PMCID: PMC5940192 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2017] [Accepted: 03/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-dominated landscapes comprise the bulk of the world's terrestrial surface and Africa is predicted to experience the largest relative increase over the next century. A multi-scale approach is required to identify processes that maintain diversity in these landscapes. Here we identify scales at which animal diversity responds by partitioning regional diversity in a rural African agro-ecosystem between one temporal and four spatial scales. Human land use practices are the main driver of diversity in all seven animal assemblages considered, with medium sized mammals and birds most affected. Even the least affected taxa, bats and non-volant small mammals (rodents), responded with increased abundance in settlements and agricultural sites respectively. Regional turnover was important to invertebrate taxa and their response to human land use was intermediate between that of the vertebrate extremes. Local scale (< 300 m) heterogeneity was the next most important level for all taxa, highlighting the importance of fine scale processes for the maintenance of biodiversity. Identifying the triggers of these changes within the context of functional landscapes would provide the context for the long-term sustainability of these rapidly changing landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Hendrik Foord
- Department of Zoology and Centre for Invasion Biology, School of Mathematical & Natural Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa
- * E-mail:
| | - Lourens Hendrik Swanepoel
- Department of Zoology and Centre for Invasion Biology, School of Mathematical & Natural Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa
| | - Steven William Evans
- South African Research Chair on Biodiversity Value and Change and Centre for Invasion Biology, School of Mathematical & Natural Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa
| | - Colin Stefan Schoeman
- Department of Zoology and Centre for Invasion Biology, School of Mathematical & Natural Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa
| | - Barend Frederik N. Erasmus
- Global Change and Sustainability Research Chair (GCSRI), University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - M. Corrie Schoeman
- School of Life Sciences, College of Agriculture Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Mark Keith
- Centre for Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Alain Smith
- Centre for Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Evans Vusani Mauda
- Department of Zoology and Centre for Invasion Biology, School of Mathematical & Natural Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa
- South African Research Chair on Biodiversity Value and Change and Centre for Invasion Biology, School of Mathematical & Natural Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa
| | - Naudene Maree
- Department of Zoology and Centre for Invasion Biology, School of Mathematical & Natural Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa
- South African Research Chair on Biodiversity Value and Change and Centre for Invasion Biology, School of Mathematical & Natural Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa
| | - Nkhumeleni Nembudani
- South African Research Chair on Biodiversity Value and Change and Centre for Invasion Biology, School of Mathematical & Natural Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa
| | - Anna Sophia Dippenaar-Schoeman
- Department of Zoology and Centre for Invasion Biology, School of Mathematical & Natural Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa
| | - Thinandavha Caswell Munyai
- School of Life Sciences, College of Agriculture Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
| | - Peter John Taylor
- South African Research Chair on Biodiversity Value and Change and Centre for Invasion Biology, School of Mathematical & Natural Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa
- School of Life Sciences, College of Agriculture Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, South Africa
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Landuse Change in Savannas Disproportionately Reduces Functional Diversity of Invertebrate Predators at the Highest Trophic Levels: Spiders as an Example. Ecosystems 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-017-0194-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Nguyen AD, Gotelli NJ, Cahan SH. The evolution of heat shock protein sequences, cis-regulatory elements, and expression profiles in the eusocial Hymenoptera. BMC Evol Biol 2016; 16:15. [PMID: 26787420 PMCID: PMC4717527 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-015-0573-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Accepted: 12/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The eusocial Hymenoptera have radiated across a wide range of thermal environments, exposing them to significant physiological stressors. We reconstructed the evolutionary history of three families of Heat Shock Proteins (Hsp90, Hsp70, Hsp40), the primary molecular chaperones protecting against thermal damage, across 12 Hymenopteran species and four other insect orders. We also predicted and tested for thermal inducibility of eight Hsps from the presence of cis-regulatory heat shock elements (HSEs). We tested whether Hsp induction patterns in ants were associated with different thermal environments. Results We found evidence for duplications, losses, and cis-regulatory changes in two of the three gene families. One member of the Hsp90 gene family, hsp83, duplicated basally in the Hymenoptera, with shifts in HSE motifs in the novel copy. Both copies were retained in bees, but ants retained only the novel HSE copy. For Hsp70, Hymenoptera lack the primary heat-inducible orthologue from Drosophila melanogaster and instead induce the cognate form, hsc70-4, which also underwent an early duplication. Episodic diversifying selection was detected along the branch predating the duplication of hsc70-4 and continued along one of the paralogue branches after duplication. Four out of eight Hsp genes were heat-inducible and matched the predictions based on presence of conserved HSEs. For the inducible homologues, the more thermally tolerant species, Pogonomyrmex barbatus, had greater Hsp basal expression and induction in response to heat stress than did the less thermally tolerant species, Aphaenogaster picea. Furthermore, there was no trade-off between basal expression and induction. Conclusions Our results highlight the unique evolutionary history of Hsps in eusocial Hymenoptera, which has been shaped by gains, losses, and changes in cis-regulation. Ants, and most likely other Hymenoptera, utilize lineage-specific heat inducible Hsps, whose expression patterns are associated with adaptive variation in thermal tolerance between two ant species. Collectively, our analyses suggest that Hsp sequence and expression patterns may reflect the forces of selection acting on thermal tolerance in ants and other social Hymenoptera. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-015-0573-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D Nguyen
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA.
| | - Nicholas J Gotelli
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA.
| | - Sara Helms Cahan
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA.
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